Through their podcast, “Healing in Spanglish,” Metztli Garcia and Ixchel Boch explore wellness, identity and healing as two Latinas growing up in Boyle Heights with immigrant parents. But their work extends beyond conversation — they host events throughout the Eastside to bring the community together.
Last month, the duo hosted Letters of Resistance, a fundraiser where participants wrote messages of encouragement to local businesses while also raising money for families impacted by immigration enforcement.
Since immigration raids began last summer, many Eastside businesses have struggled to get customers through their doors, forcing some to cut hours and lose income. Garcia said supporting these businesses is a big part of their mission.
“A very big part of “Healing in Spanglish” is also making it very known that we care about these businesses … that we can also do different forms of collective healing with one another,” she said.
Participants paid $20, which included a meal from East Los Tacos, where the event was held, and art supplies to decorate letters. Walk-ins were welcomed at $25. Proceeds from the fundraiser went to the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network, which supports immigrant families and monitors ICE activity, as well as the event’s host site.
For community members like Miriam Rodriguez, president of the Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce, the event provided a way to respond to a difficult moment.
“It’s heavy seeing your own people being attacked, people that look like your father, your mother, being targeted in the street … So events like this are very fulfilling,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez wrote a letter to Birrieria Don Boni in Boyle Heights. Her card was decorated with colorful butterfly cutouts that read: “Your dedication to our community inspires us to keep working together.”
“I feel like because we’ve grown up with these businesses in our communities, we take them for granted, but we should always let them know that they’re valued and appreciated,” Rodriguez said.
Boch said the fundraiser was the first of many planned efforts to support the community.
“We really want to just make these sacred community spaces where folks can come together and truly make a small change,” Boch said. “These little things will make a big impact.”
At the end of the event, Garcia and Boch delivered the letters to businesses like Acurrúcame Café, Yeya’s Restaurant, Los Cinco Puntos and many others across the Eastside.
“We just want it to be known through these cards that we see them, we recognize them, and we’re in community with them,” Garcia said.
